At the doors of Hogwarts
by Cosmo NovaHill
Summary: A girl arrives at Hogwarts in the middle of the night and soaked to the bone. Who's sister is she? What is so different about her? R


She appeared at the doors of Hogwarts castle, soaked to the bone from the rain pouring down. Her tapping on the door was nearly unheard, but Professor Dumbledore could tell there was someone at the door. In the middle of the night and in his night robes he hurried to the main entrance to the grate castle.

"Professor Dumbledore? What on earth are you doing up?" Dumbledore looked over to find professor Minerva McGonagall standing arms folded over her night robe. Her hair was still pulled into her usual severe bun.

"Ah, Minerva. I could ask the same of you." Dumbledore tipped his head to her as he began to descend the great staircase. "There is someone at the doors Minerva. Intrigue has gotten the better of me, and I now find myself much like you wandering the castle late at night, only I am going to open the door." Minerva began to follow him down the stairs.

"Is it wise Albus? To open the door at this late hour?" She caught him up as he swept across the great hall.

"We shall have to see, won't we?" As he approached the towering doors, he gestured silently with his wand. The doors opened just enough for him to look round. There she was, a girl stood in the pouring rain. Dumbledore smiled. "My child, you seem slightly damp. Come in." With a gesture of his arms the girl stepped through the doors. Her hair was long, sticking to her head. Her clothes stuck to her skin. She had a stormy look on her face, her green eyes glowing in her pale face.

"What do you want here?" McGonagall asked with a severe look.

"Minerva. Come on, lets get you warmed up." Professor Dumbledore put a hand on the girls shoulder.

She sat by the fire, a blanket wraped around her shoulders. She used her wand to create images with flames. Some of the other teachers had been woken, including Severus Snape and Professor Flitwick. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape stood talking quietly.

"She has, Professor an uncanny resemblance to another student." Snape looked over. As the flames warmed her, they could see her hair was white.

"Yes..." Dumbledore paused for a moment. "She does resemble Mr Malfoy. Perhaps now would be the perfect opportunity to talk to her?" He nodded to the other teachers.

"You may need to wake the boy, Severus." Minerva looked to the professor. All of them stood in pyjamas, most had some kind of robe on. Severus Snape wore a black robe with a stern look on his face. He had dragged himself from the dungeons to the headmasters office. The prospect of having to go all the way down to wake a student, then come all the way back irked him.

Dumbledore sat down to the side of the girl.

"You have a talent with that." Dumbledore nodded to the dancing flames. "Do you have a name, child?" He smiled at her looking over his half moon spectacles. He touched the end of his silver beard. She looked at him.

"Belladonna." Dumbledore watched as the flames took the shape of a belladonna flower. She lowered her wand, leaving the flames to dance of their own accord. "Belladonna Malfoy." Dumbledore nodded.

"We were wondering why a child such as yourself didn't turn up on time for the begging of term. But I suppose you're hear now. Lets see..." He trailed off.

"Professor. Could I see Draco please? I know it's late." She looked up hopefully.

"Professor Snape?" Dumbledore called. From across the room a head turned. "Could you fetch Mr Malfoy please?" Dumbledore smiled. "All other teachers may return to bed. School will continue as normal." He turned to the girl. "The staff are as important as the students." He smiled. All the teachers looked at each other before leaving the room one by one.

Professor Snape walked purposefully down the corridor, keeping a sharp eye for wandering students. He held his wand out in front of him casting the 'lumos' spell to shed some light. He was on the brink of muttering to himself about plants. His mind was often exploring plants and potions when he was awake at night. He entered into the boys dormitory. With a flick the light from his want went out. He approached one of the beds. The boy had white hair like the girl, and while sleeping he looked very innocent unlike when he was awake. Snape shook the boys shoulder firmly.

"Wake up boy." He whispered. He may be the most ruthless Professor, but waking entire dorm rooms was never fun. The boy rolled slightly, his eyes fluttered but he didn't wake. Snape sighed before shaking the boy more violently. He sat upright now, about to start shouting. "Save it boy. Lets go."

When Snape opened the door to the Headmasters door Belladonna was completely dry. Her hair was now dry and untangled, revealing itself to be just below her shoulder blades. It wasn't the pure white of her brothers, almost a dirty white. She had light freckles, that on her pale skin looked darker. Snape pushed the door open and Draco walked in. He looked around the room before his eyes stopped on Belladonna.

"How... What...? Belladonna?" He walked into the room, arms open for her. In a blink she was there. They had a whispered conversation. Both professors noted that this was the most emotion that Draco Malfoy had allowed anyone to see.

"Well." Professor Dumbledore put in "We will sit you in some tests tomorrow to determined what to do with you." Dumbledore nodded to himself.

"Professor, we've never asked a student to do tests before getting into her?" Snape asked Dumbledore as they stood outside the office door having a quiet conversation.

"I will assume you saw the girl making the flames dance? I've never seen someone so young do magic like this. She could go up a year at least. She could be in her brothers year with a few catch up lessons." Snape nodded. "I suppose..."

The next few days Belladonna underwent a test form each teacher of each subject. At the end of the second day, she sat in Dumbledores office. No one knew why she had appeared at the door in the middle of the night soaking wet. After the first day, Dumbledore had decided she would be staying had contacted the Malfoy family who had sent her an entire Hogwarts uniform, and all the equipment she needed. She now sat with only Draco, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall and the sorting hat. It took its time, thinking before announcing;

"You could easily go into Gryffindor... But I think... Slytherin." She smiled, now knowing that she was safe. She had her older brother near and inside Hogwarts she was safe, from the nightmare that she had been living for the last few weeks.


End file.
